Hello Adventurers,
My DM invited me to his customized Serpent's Skull campaign, and due to my late entry, all the other players already have their classes picked.
I'm looking for advice as to what class woyld help out this group the most in a pulp jungle adventure like Serpent's Skull, while also not stepping on anyone's toes.
Here is the party list:
Halfing Ninja
Slyph Sky druid
Ratling Conjurer
Tiefling Archer
I'm thinking they could use a divine tank, like a Warpriest, or maybe backup skills and trap finding in the form of an investigator? Thoughts?
Maybe a swashbuckler to dex-front line and fit the ap theme?
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Tiefling alchemist, easy. As long as your GM isn't going to make you count vials and such (which they shouldn't), you'd be a great fit for everyone else, a solid buffer, and nice damage as well. I'd say go melee myself, since your ninja could always use more people mixing it up in close to go for damage, beastmorph vivi could be fun to stack sneak attack damage since a lot of things in SS should be SA vulnerable too.
Does divine matter so little in serpent's skull?
Tiefling alchemist, easy. As long as your GM isn't going to make you count vials and such (which they shouldn't), you'd be a great fit for everyone else, a solid buffer, and nice damage as well. I'd say go melee myself, since your ninja could always use more people mixing it up in close to go for damage, beastmorph vivi could be fun to stack sneak attack damage since a lot of things in SS should be SA vulnerable too.
Actually, a swashbuckler/alchemiat could be fun as hell. Maybe grenadier or viv? Go inspired blade to be less MAD?
UPDATE: Looks like the DM has suggested I be something that has decent social skills, so now I'm thinking Mysterious Avenger Swashbuckler, since I believe they are cha based, and would fit the theme well?
A swashbuckler might be a step down in power and flexibility from the rest of the party; being the talky guy will give you something to do out of combat, but you'd be in danger of being badly out-tanked by summons, out-damaged by the ninja & archer, and the whip is hardly going to give you amazing battlefield control; a little, that's all. Out of combat and neither fighting nor talking the ninja and the spellcasters will rule.
An alchemist with a trait or two (Student of Philosophy IIRC?) and a dip in swashbuckler can do social skills off int rather than cha if you want to return to that idea. Various oracles can get thoroughly cha-based and don't face quite the same problems as a swashbuckler.
It's not so much that divine doesn't matter, it's more that if you have access to HP recovery and a way to break mind-affecting effects you need little else. The alchemist idea's not bad, but I'd like to endorse an Oradin build. It's not classic pulp, but it would complement the party well. Perhaps an arcane duelist, archaeologist or other melee-oriented bard?
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Actually. An archaeologist bard would provide the social skills you'll (apparently) need, the trapfinding you'll want, and the spells to be another as-needed healer or other support caster. Archaeologist's Luck is a decent ability for a secondary frontliner- grab a reach weapon and call it good?
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I will recommend you go with your first though. A divine frontline combatant of some type. At this point the party dose not have a front line combatant. The Halfling ninja is going to have a good Cha and can pick up the social skills. With out a frontline combatant it makes any AP over all very hard. You do have many options Warpriest, Inquisitor, Hunter, Paladin, Ranger, Cleric, Druid, and Oracle. The Paladin, and Oracle can fill the face roll easy. If that's what you want to do. Something more in line with the setting. You could go with Druid, Hunter, or Ranger.
My top pick: Oracle : Mystery : Battle. You have most of the social skills. You can start with all martial weapons, and heavy armor proficiency. Their are other mysteries that can work as well. I just like battle better then most of the other options.
You might consider a skald (from the ACG), letting the druid and conjurer bring in 'tanks' whom you can then buff with your raging song. In addition to pinch-hitting in melee and providing some healing.
I like that idea very much. With two summoners in the group you should definitely do some aoe buffing, ie Skald or bard.
As mentioned, Bard would probably work well,
I would also suggest Inquisitor, maybe going Melee + Reach?
They already get bonuses to a few "social skills" while having lots of skill ranks,
and you can get WIS to social skills (and stealth) via a few archetypes, I believe.
(also via some Inquisitions, but IMHO there is better choices for Domain/Inquisition)
Barbarian might also work, there is archetype that gives you bonus to Diplo/Intimidate, and it has plenty of skill ranks.
(Scarred Rager, which also enables Rage Cycling, and avoids a bunch of action-denial conditions)
Class Skills you can expand via Trait.
In fact, there is a great Feat from the Sargava Companion that goes great wtih a Barb, Rhino Charge.
(lets you Ready an Action to "Partial Charge")
On the Skald: wouldn't raging song in a party of this many casters hurt their spell casting effectiveness?
On the Skald: wouldn't raging song in a party of this many casters hurt their spell casting effectiveness?
Wouldn't hurt them - each target gets to choose if they are affected by raging song.
Something to keep in mind - for this AP, I'd suggest against a build that's relying on medium or heavy armor. Full Plate doesn't do well in the jungle!
On the Skald: wouldn't raging song in a party of this many casters hurt their spell casting effectiveness?Wouldn't hurt them - each target gets to choose if they are affected by raging song.
Something to keep in mind - for this AP, I'd suggest against a build that's relying on medium or heavy armor. Full Plate doesn't do well in the jungle!
Ah, I didn't think about that, thank you! Well, there goes warpriest. XD
UPDATE: The plot thickens.
So my DM has informed me that character creation will be done in his own custom way: we get one 17 and one 9, and may place those scores wherever we like. However, all additional stats are to be randomly rolled IN ORDER at the table!
Needless to say, this severly puts the kibosh on planning any class that's more than one ability score dependent. Of which most of our suggestions seem to be.
So....hells. -_-
Any suggestions or builds that fit the new parameters? >_<
How about a dex based, TWF Mantis Zealot Wapriest, who deserted the Crimson Mantis when they killed his father for something, and now he's on the run from them while also trying to find out why they were hired to kill his archeologist father.
Maybe dip into swashbuckler if cha roll allows?
I had fun playing a Half Orc Oracle of Battle in a Serpent Skull AP. I started with 18 Str and 14 Cha.
Rolling at the table in order is a terrible idea. Give the DM feedback.
I am not too familiar with serpent skull, what level do you start at? Because with the guided weapon property you can make a pretty SAD cleric or warpriest and still melee, but IDK if you can afford that at the start.
Another class that I am always suggesting is the bounty hunter slayer. 1d10 hd and full BAB so you can front line, SA so you can pair up with the ninja, dex based, and a ton of debuffs. Also gets track which I assume would be quite useful in a jungle. Maybe dip 1 level in unchained rogue to get more SA and dex to damage?
I think if you are placing stats, rolling, and THEN choosing classes your options are int, wis, cha, or dex.
With int, if you roll decent str you can go mutagen alch, if you roll decent dex you can go throwing alch or finesse magus, and if you have no good stats you can go witch. Any way you play it, taking student of philosophy will make you a good party face.
With wis, you can go the melee cleric/warpriest/inquisitor with a decent str, bow warpriest/inquisitor with a decent dex, or guided hand feat on cleric or guided weapon property on warpriest (or the feat at 7th level but that is pretty late entry)/inquisitor if you have a decent enough con to front line. None of the above? pure caster in shamen or cleric. A spell like bless can do a pretty decent job of buffing all allies and summons. Inquisitor can make for a good party face, and if need be you can do a 1 lvl dip in cleric to qualify for guided hand for either inquisitor or warpriest.
With Cha you can go bard/skald for the buffs and do melee with str or archery with dex. Oracles can also be pretty SAD (specially lunar with Cha to ac) but you need a decent str to give it any offense. Duel cursed giving you misfortune can both aid your allies and debuff your enemies. Lastly synthesis summoner uses the eidolon's stats so you know what you are getting (but a lot of DMs hate it soooo ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ )
With dex you can go any sort of melee fighter (with a dip in unchained rogue), swashbuckler, slayer, or any archery build. Plus depending on your secondary high stat, and of the previously mentioned builds can be possible (magus, bard, alch, inquisitor, warpriest).
Hope this helps!
edit: OH completely forgot to mention the urban barbarian under dex builds. Buff that dex to insane levels and get it to damage with a 1 lvl dip in rogue. Thanks to a recent FAQ on the unchained rogue, finessable 2 handed weapons, like the elven branched spear get 1.5 dex to damage.
Thanks for all the amazing advice, everyone! I think I'm going to Grenadier Alchemist, and debating on a swashbuckler musketeer dip for firearms to alchemize and opportune parry and riposte (which I LOVE). In the end, I ended up rolling my stats like a fiend and got (in order) 17,17,16,17,14,9!! Taking Student of Philosophy to use int for diplomacy and bluff, and feeling pretty great about it. XD
Thanks again!